The Bold and the Beautiful recap (Dec. 8): Bill’s bruised ego

Today on The Bold and the Beautiful, Bill continued his pity party, but it led to some charged moments with his son, Liam, that gave Don Diamont and Scott Clifton the opportunity to flex their acting chops. Aside from their parts, however, the soap is still simmering as we inch closer to Sheila’s plot inevitably blowing up into delicious chaos.

Steffy and Finn’s visit with Deacon was an exercise in the two subtly sensing something is up with him, but giving him the benefit of the doubt as they play detectives. Deacon was cool under pressure, not that anyone should have expected otherwise, but his fuse is certain to be short with Sheila now that he’s gotten confirmation that the jig is up, the rabbit is out of the hat, and she’s got less cards to play than she thinks.

Meanwhile, at Forrester Creations, Katie and Carter continued their flirtation with the added bonus of Katie opening up to him about her conversation with Bill at the Spencer mansion. Their undefined romance is kind of cute, to be honest.

Here’s the full recap of events.

What happened today on The Bold and the Beautiful?

For the record, the drama of Bill donning his sword necklace again is peak soap, and I am eating it up. Like Katie, Liam had a visible reaction to seeing the piece of jewelry back in its rightful place hanging from his dad’s neck. Yes, it’s a metaphor for Bill’s worse inclinations and tendencies, but it’s delightful seeing the man unravel and watching it be taken seriously.

Bill’s ego definitely needs to be checked and this is the moment for The Bold and the Beautiful to do it whilst also giving Diamont the meaty material he’s been lacking in the role for awhile. The scene with Liam in the mansion’s living room was the best part of today’s episode.

Here you have a man who’s used to getting what he wants, and he was repeatedly and firmly turned down by the two women he sees as being essential to his life. Brooke giving Ridge an opening to come back to her chafes for Ridge but that’s the one-sided cycle he’s been caught up in for years. Katie, however, he considered to be perpetually waiting in the wings.

While he’s not proud of the way he’s treated her, I don’t believe Bill ever expected her to move on. So the fact that she has and isn’t backing down from her position is messing with his sense of self. Hence the sword necklace’s return. Ever in tune with his feelings, Liam tried to get his dad to understand that it is fine to pity yourself sometimes.

Bill feels alone. He’s been rejected. He has no one to share his life with and he’s been found wanting. Is he throwing a tantrum? Absolutely, but it’s one that’s been a long time coming. Understandably, his volatile emotions have Liam concerned but not enough for him to tip toe around Bill’s feelings.

I loved when Liam told Bill that it’s his ego that’s in control right now. All of this talk of betrayal and abandonment, while in parts is true, is also his reaction to not getting what he wants. Dollar Bill Spencer has been told he can’t have something and it’s turning him into a rage monster. A lot of this is hurt with no where to go but to be unpacked which Bill won’t be doing any time soon, but this is also what happens when you build yourself up so much that the idea that you can’t have your way transforms you into a ticking time bomb.

Liam tried to give Bill room to feel the totality of his feelings, but he also attempted to help him rein in his temper and see reason. It didn’t work, but it was another shining example of how their relationship functions. Liam doesn’t tell Bill what he wants to hear, he tells him what he needs to hear and then lets the chips fall where they may when he can’t do anything to change his dad’s trajectory.

So, while Bill stormed out of the house and didn’t promise his son that he won’t get up to any trouble, it’s clear that this isn’t over between the two of them. Liam’s going to do what he can to keep his dad from self-destructing but first Bill’s going to have to let off some steam. Whether that’s through an altercation with Carter has yet to be seen.

It’s really rubbing Bill the wrong way that Carter’s the one who’s swooped in and swept Katie off her feet. I don’t believe he sees the man as his equal, but Bill’s going to have to adjust because Carter already showed he’s not going to stand down. In fact, he and Katie are only getting closer to one another.

The two had a sweet conversation in the office about their relationship which included Katie wondering if there’s any man out there who isn’t in love with her sister, Brooke. Carter pointed out that he isn’t and never has even though he does respect her. The only Logan woman that he has his eye on is Katie.

This is the kind of confidence boost that Katie needs. She’s lived so much of her life in Brooke’s shadow, even romantically, so to have a man who’s not remotely interested in her sister and never has been is refreshing.

Also, as she pointed out to Carter when she walked in on him getting dressed, he’s not bad to look at either. There’s a nice playfulness and ease that Heather Tom and Lawrence Saint-Victor have imbued into the character’s budding romance that’s fun to see play out onscreen. They’ve yet to be tested seriously as a couple, which Bill might do in the future, so it’ll be interesting to see where the soap goes with them.

If Carter isn’t the man that Bill decides to pay a visit to, it may be Justin. Today was the second time that the CEO mentioned Justin’s betrayal. He called him both his best friend and his brother. The story had somewhat skipped past Bill’s full reaction to Justin trying to steal his company and then going to work at Forrester Creations. So, just like we circled back to Sheila’s plot, the same might happen with Bill and Justin.

Speaking of Sheila, she was absent from this episode, but she was the focus of the conversation between Deacon, Steffy, and Finn. The soap picked up where it left the three in Deacon’s apartment as the couple explained their theory that Sheila is alive.

Deacon asked all the right questions, giving them the opportunity to explain to him the facts of the case as they know them and why they’re poking holes in the idea that Sheila’s dead. They even brought her desiccating toe along to further their point.

It was obvious during their scenes that Sinn were trying to feel out whether Deacon knows where Sheila is but his acting was impeccable. He didn’t do too much or too little to sell his story that he doesn’t know her whereabouts. Technically, he was only partly lying. Sheila left and didn’t tell him where she was going.

One thing’s for sure, Deacon’s going to do his utmost to throw her out now that Steffy and Finn are hot on her trail. He may have gotten away with his lying this time, but the two were right. Sheila’s close to Deacon. He can sell that she hasn’t reached out to him yet, but he’s not going to be able to convince them that she’d never contact him.

Will Deacon get caught helping Sheila? That’s anyone’s guess, but this storyline has the potential to be so good as it continues to unfold. Until next time, Bold fans. Stay beautiful!

Stay tuned to Hidden Remote for more The Bold and the Beautiful news and coverage! New episodes of the soap air Mondays-Fridays on CBS. Evening viewing is available on Paramount+.